ze an opportunity which had to be seized
instantly, or not at all. Mona Leslie has been
planning for a long European sojourn all winter,
and for the past two weeks has been trying to
persuade me to go with her as a sort of overpaid
companion and private secretary. She has dangled a
salary before me out of all proportion to my
possible value to her, but--never feeling very
sympathetic toward her sudden whims and
moods--that hasn't tempted me.

"Now, at the eleventh hour, literally, this
chance for a complete break with my whole past and
probable future has tempted me, and I've flopped.
You've been urging my need for rest and change; if
that's what I do need this will supply it, the
change at least--with no sacrifice of my
hard-fought-for financial independence. It was the
abysmal prospect, as I came in, of having to go
straight to my room--with no Sister waiting for
me--and beat my poor typewriter and poorer brains
for some sparks of wit--when I knew in advance
there wasn't a spark left in me--that sent me to
the telephone.

"Now I'm packed--in half an hour--and waiting for
Mona. The boat sails about three A.M.; I don't
even know her name: we'll be on her by midnight.
Poor Miss O'Neill is flabbergasted--and so I'm
afraid will you be, and Phil and Jimmy. I know it
isn't kind of me simply to vanish like this; but
try to feel that I don't mean to be unkind. Not
even to Togo, though my treachery to him is
villainous. It will be a black mark against me in
Peter's book forever. But I can't take him, Ambo;
I just can't. Please, please--will _you_? You see,
dear, I can't help being a nuisance to you always,
after all. And I can't even promise you Togo will
learn to love you, any more than Tumps--though I
hope he may. He'll grieve himself thin at first.
He knows something's in the air and he's grieving
beside me now. His eyes---- If Mona doesn't come
soon, I may collapse at his paws and promise him
to stay.

"Mona talks of a year over there, from darkest
Russia to lightest France; possibly two. Her